How To Get Your Elderly Mother To Take Correct Pill Dosage?!


Question: I am my mother's caregiver who is very concern about her medicine dosage. She is diabetic, suffers with high blood and is on eyes medication because of blindness in one eye. All medications are taken correctly, except when the doctor increased the metformin(gen/gluaphage) 500mg from 1/2 to 1 tablet daily. She refuses to take the whole tablet and to follow the doctor's instructions on activities to do. My mother is very thin, yet eats three times a day. Also fabricates a lot, forgets and remembers at times. During the latest doctor's visit, I provided my mother's doctor a letter concerning her health and behavior. His opinions resulted to her old age and only advised my mother to do the right things. However, I am now living with her, assists and observe things more closely. What can I do or who can I find that can help me help my mother? Thanks for your needed responses.


Answers: I am my mother's caregiver who is very concern about her medicine dosage. She is diabetic, suffers with high blood and is on eyes medication because of blindness in one eye. All medications are taken correctly, except when the doctor increased the metformin(gen/gluaphage) 500mg from 1/2 to 1 tablet daily. She refuses to take the whole tablet and to follow the doctor's instructions on activities to do. My mother is very thin, yet eats three times a day. Also fabricates a lot, forgets and remembers at times. During the latest doctor's visit, I provided my mother's doctor a letter concerning her health and behavior. His opinions resulted to her old age and only advised my mother to do the right things. However, I am now living with her, assists and observe things more closely. What can I do or who can I find that can help me help my mother? Thanks for your needed responses.

Confusion is a featured side effect of high glucose levels!! She is not fabricating, just forgetting. And when you ask, she will of course say whatever she thinks you want to hear.

I got those pill boxes for me!! I forget to take the meds unless they are in place!! I will think, as soon as I go get some water I will take them, then totally forget until tomorrow that I should have taken them.

I have a box for Rx meds and one for vitamin supplements one for each morning and night!! I lay the insulin syringes beside the meds boxes. My daughter thought this strange and unnecessary as someone might mess with my meds, but there is no one in this house ever other than my hubby and me and occasionally my daughter.

I recommend you alter her food plan to a 3 oz serving of meat, 1 cup of dark green leafy with tomatos and other good salad stuff, and maybe a hot green veggie for lunch and dinner. For breakfast half slice whole grain toast, an egg, and a strip or two of bacon!
Snacks can be thinly sliced apples with either peanut butter or flavored cream cheese spread.

No more bananas, orange juice or other high glycemic fruits.

Yes, I know the ADA, the CDEs and doctors recommend Oatmeal, skim milk, banana, and oj for breakfasts. For me that would send the glucometer to waving HI at me for the rest of the day!!!

Go to library or bookstore and get the book "Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year". It is full of very good information even for long term diabetics! As a care giver you must be as knowledgable as those of us who have none. Another good book to read is "Atkins Diabetes Revolution" It is written by a diabetic doctor seeking to help herself and her patients. It is also full of very good information.

As to getting her to take the meds. Go ahead and cut the pills in half. Give her half at start of meal, and about half way through give her other half. If she is confused now, she will never notice what you are doing!!! There are ways around grannies and little kids without making them mad or feel bad! Just have to find what works and do it!!!

For the tablet maybe give her half the tablet at one time and the other half later. Check with Doc if that would be ok. Other way is to put the other half in her food. Again I'm not qualified to say if it will work or if a good thing to do but it's a suggestion.

As for the correct medication - you can buy little plastic holders which you can divide all the medication in for the week. You could have a morning and night one etc. Just make sure its labelled as such.

I suggest you talk to you doctor or your mothers doctor about what assistance is available in your area. Also contact nursing homes as they would have alot of information for you. Also contact your government - governments often have a department of aging of some type. Carers are looked after alot more these days and are respected and appreciated by governments because of the pressure that is taken off them when families take their elderly family members into their own care and responsibilty.

Good luck :)





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